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Hogan Lovells Pro Bono team secures key victory in Afghanistan Cycling Federation abuse case
Press releases
| 02
August
2024
London, 2 August 2024 - On 16 July, the Ethics Commission of the world governing body for cycling (UCI) handed down a 15-month suspension for Fazli Ahmad Fazli, president of the Afghan Cycling Federation, banning him from all cycling-related activities in relation to the abuse of a number of female cyclists. Client Shannon Galpin was represented on a pro bono basis by Hogan Lovells International LLP.
Shannon Galpin had worked with the first generation of women to cycle in Afghanistan for years, and was instrumental in ensuring cyclists were evacuated from Kabul.
Following a full day hearing where oral submissions were presented to the UCI Ethics Committee, the Commission found that the President of the Afghanistan Cycling Federation had, on several occasions, sent messages to members of the Afghan cycling community which was deemed to be in breach of Articles 5, 6.4 and 2.1 of Annex 1 of the UCI Code of Ethics due to their abusive and/or threatening nature, and that he therefore abused his position.
The Hogan Lovells team was led by London-based partner Elaine Penrose, with support from associates Rachel Howard and Haylea Campbell, and guidance from International Pro Bono Partner Yasmin Waljee OBE.
Elaine Penrose, Hogan Lovells Partner, noted, “We are proud to support victims of abuse on a pro bono basis, and we hope that this judgment will have a positive impact by encouraging those suffering similar violations of their human rights to take a stand.”
This case was also part of a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls which has been prepared for the UN General Assembly on violence against women and girls in sport.
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